El Tesoro will expand its footprint at Lee + White, moving into an 8,600-square-foot space in the 1036 Building in the heart of the bustling adaptive reuse development in Atlanta's West End. The restaurant, currently operating within the Wild Heaven Brewing facility, will establish a new outpost location featuring all the food favorites, a large bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and big-screen TVs for sporting events, with plans to open in March.
This expansion gives El Tesoro three full-service restaurants operating in Atlanta, joining the original Edgewood location at 1374 Arkwright Place and a recently announced 3,640-square-foot location in the South Downtown development at 171 Mitchell Street scheduled to open in spring of 2026. The move represents significant growth for the restaurant and contributes to the ongoing revitalization of the West End neighborhood.
"We've been very successful in our collaboration with Wild Heaven West End, with so much goodwill from the local residents, and now we are both ready for the next phase," said Alan Raines, owner of El Tesoro. "We're excited to expand into a permanent space at Lee + White that gives us the opportunity to grow for years to come. It almost seemed like more space than we need right now, but zooming out into the future, we'll have the flexibility to host a wide range of meetings, activities and even weddings, as well as be a gathering place for the West End neighborhood, sporting and other events."
Like the upcoming location in South Downtown, El Tesoro's new Lee + White space aims for a casual but slightly elevated experience, expanding beyond the standard taqueria. Guests can expect the same family recipe favorites on the menu – including tacos, burritos, tamales and mulitas, as well as the famous fresh juice margaritas and deep mezcal program.
"El Tesoro has become a go-to stop for authentic Mexican food, and their growth is great news for Lee + White and the West End neighborhood," said Leo Wiener, President of Ackerman Retail. "We're looking forward to their expansion bringing even more energy to Lee + White while giving visitors another option for hanging out, eating great food and enjoying this vibrant district."
The expansion occurs within the broader context of Lee + White's development as a community hub. Acquired by Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners in 2019, the 442,562-square-foot Lee + White mixed-use development is an adaptive reuse transformation of the West End's former Warehouse row featuring one-half mile of Atlanta BeltLine frontage and four direct entrances to the popular mixed-use trail. The latest phase of development has added a food hall, creative office space, healthcare providers, trade schools, new retail, and the "Great Lawn" central gathering and event space.
Lee + White is accessible via the nearby West End MARTA rail station and all of Atlanta's interstates, with a planned MARTA station at Murphy Crossing that will be a short walk from Lee + White via the Atlanta Westside BeltLine. For more information about the development, visit https://www.leeandwhiteatl.com.
In related news, Wild Heaven Beer has announced that Eats, a popular meat-and-three restaurant that closed its Ponce de Leon location in October, will replace El Tesoro within the Wild Heaven tap room. Wild Heaven has purchased the Eats restaurant brand and is targeting a March opening as well, demonstrating the dynamic nature of food and beverage offerings within the development.
The continued growth at Lee + White reflects broader trends in urban development that prioritize adaptive reuse of existing structures, mixed-use spaces that combine residential, commercial, and recreational elements, and enhanced connectivity through transportation infrastructure like the BeltLine. These developments have significant implications for neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and community building in urban areas.
One full-service restaurant space of 3,990 square feet and one food stall remain available for lease in the food hall, which includes 16 eateries along with the Strangers in Paradise central bar, offering a mix of local and regional concepts. The availability of additional space suggests continued growth potential for the development and the surrounding neighborhood.
